"This is as close as we've ever been" - Michael Jordan refused to let the Bulls fold after losing Game 1 of the 1991 Finals

“This is as close as we’ve ever been” – Michael Jordan refused to let the Bulls fold after losing Game 1 of the 1991 Finals originally appeared on Basketball Network.

Michael Jordan knew that losing Game 1 of the 1991 NBA Finals was huge, especially since it was played right on their own turf. Aware that it was over and done with, MJ knew that he and his Chicago Bulls teammates had to move forward and bounce back hard.

The first order of business heading into Game 2 was to win. Another loss would be costly, especially considering that no NBA team had gone on to win the title after dropping the first two games of the series. To avoid that, he and his teammates need to play with more urgency.

“There’s a lot of pressure on my teammates, because when we lose, everyone says they didn’t give me enough support,” Jordan said via NYT. “This is as close as we’ve ever been to a championship and we don’t want this opportunity to slip away. If we win Game 2, we’re right back in the series. And I’m confident that we can.”

Defense does it for the Bulls

One key to getting a win for the Bulls was to make life hard for Magic Johnson. The 6’9″ guard was the team’s heart and soul, and throwing him off his game would help.

Jordan had the first crack at the Michigan State product but ended up getting into foul trouble. Aware of this, Bulls coach Phil Jackson changed the defensive assignments and put Scottie Pippen on Johnson. The ploy worked.

“Pippen did a great job on me,” Johnson said. “Once Michael got into early foul trouble, you had to expect they would make that switch. Scottie is more physical than Michael, so the matchup was a little different.”

Despite the success he had on the Lakers’ superstar, Pippen confessed that he just did what he could to frustrate Magic. Being the legendary player that Johnson was, Pip knew it was impossible to completely shut down the three-time Most Valuable Player.

“I just wanted to make Magic Johnson work, try to wear him down, utilize my size and my quickness, make it difficult for him,” Pippen explained.

After notching a triple-double in Game 1 (19 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds), Magic’s production took a dip in Game 2 (14 points, 10 assists, and 7 rebounds). Johnson made the necessary adjustments in the succeeding games, but the effort was not enough.

Inconsistent supporting cast doomed Lakers

Sam Perkins and Vlade Divac had their share of good games, but not consistently. James Worthy was expected to be the no. 2 guy for the Lakers but a nagging ankle injury prevented the former top pick from playing his usual game.

For the Bulls, the case was dramatically different. Jordan was his explosive self, averaging 31.2 points and 11.4 per contest in that series. However, the efforts of Pippen, Horace Grant and John Paxson made the difference, providing MJ with the help needed to win the 1991 title.

There are arguments that the outcome of the 1991 Finals would have been different if Worthy had been healthy. But given the Bulls’ hunger and run that season, Chicago was primed to win its first title and start a whole new era in the league.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 20, 2025, where it first appeared.

“This is as close as we’ve ever been” – Michael Jordan refused to let the Bulls fold after losing Game 1 of the 1991 Finals

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